Kushiel's Scion
}} Kushiel's Scion is the first novel of the Imriel Trilogy. It concerns Imriel nó Montrève de la Courcel's journey as he grows up and has to deal with his past as a slave in Drujan, the legacy of his parents Benedicte de la Courcel and Melisande Shahrizai de la Courcel and coming into his own as a Prince of the Blood and scion of House Courcel The novel starts when Imriel is fourteen; it ends when he is eighteen. Publisher's summary Imriel de la Courcel's birth parents are history's most reviled traitors, but his adoptive parents, the Comtesse Phèdre and the warrior-priest Joscelin, are Terre d'Ange's greatest champions. Stolen, tortured and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood; third in line for the throne in a land that revels in art, beauty and desire. It is a court steeped in deeply laid conspiracies—and there are many who would see the young prince dead. Some despise him out of hatred for his mother, Melisande, who nearly destroyed the entire realm in her quest for power. Others because they fear he has inherited his mother's irresistible allure—and her dangerous gifts. As he comes of age, plagued by unwanted desires, Imriel shares their fears. When a simple act of friendship traps Imriel in a besieged city where the infamous Melisande is worshiped as a goddess and where a dead man leads an army, the Prince must face his greatest test: to find his true self. Cover gallery Ks.jpg|US Cover Characters Montrève's Household Phèdre nó Delaunay de Montrève—Comtesse de Montrève Joscelin Verreuil— Phèdre's consort; Cassiline Brother (Siovale) Imriel nó Montrève de la Courcel— Phèdre's foster son (also member of the Royal family) Ti-Philippe—chevalier Hugues, Gilot, Marcel— men-at-arms Eugènie— mistress of the household, townhouse Clory—niece of Eugenie Benoit—stable-lad, townhouse Purnell and Richeline Friote—seneschal's of Montrève Charles, Katherine, Denis Friote—seneschal's children Ronald Agout—falconer Artus Labor—kennel master Members of the D'Angeline Royal Family Ysandre de la Courcel—Queen of Terre d'Ange; wed to Drustan mab Necthana Sidonie de la Courcel—elder daughter of Ysandre; heir to Terre d'Ange Alais de la Courcel—younger daughter of Ysandre Imriel nó Montrève de la Courcel— cousin; son of Benedicte de la Courcel (deceased) and Melisande Shahrizai Barquiel L'Envers—uncle of Ysandre; Royal Commander; Duc L'Envers (Namarre) House Shahrizai Melisande Shahrizai—mother of Imriel; wed to Benedicte de la Courcel (deceased) Faragon Shahrizai—Duc de Shahrizai Mavros, Roshana, Baptiste Shahrizai—cousins of Imriel Members of the Royal Court Ghislain nó Trevalion—noble, son of Percy de Somerville (deceased) Bernadette de Trevalion—noble, wed to Ghislain, sister of Baudoin (deceased) Bertran de Trevalion—son of Ghislain and Bernadette Amaury Trente—noble, former Commander of the Queen's Guard Julien and Colette Trente—children of Amaury Marguerite Grosmaine—daughter of the Secretary of the Presence Nicola L'Envers y Aragon—cousin of Queen Ysandre; wed to Ramiro Zornín de Aragon Raul L'Envers y Aragon—son of Nicola and Ramiro The Night Court Nathalie nó Balm—Dowayne of Balm House Emmeline nó Balm—adept of Balm House Didier Vascon—Dowayne of Valerian House Sephira—adept of Valerian House Alba Drustan mab Necthana—Cruarch of Alba, wed to Ysandre de la Courcel Necthana—mother of Drustan Breidaia—sister of Drustan, daughter of Necthana Talorcan—son of Breidaia Dorelei—daughter of Breidaia Sibeal—sister of Drustan, daughter of Necthana, wed to Hyacinthe Hyacinthe—Master of the Straits, wed to Sibeal Grainne mac Conor—Lady of the Dalriada Eamonn mac Grainne—son of Grainne and Quintilius Rousse Tiberium Master Piero di Bonci—teacher of philosophy Lucius Tadius, Aulus, Brigitta, Akil, Vernus—students of Master Piero Deccus Fulvius—senator Claudia Fulvia—wife of Deccus; sister of Lucius Anna Marzoni—widow Belinda Marzoni—daughter of Anna Canis—beggar Master Strozzi—teacher of rhetoric Master Ambrosius—incense-maker Erytheia of Thrasos—painter Silvio—assistant to Erytheia of Thrasos Denise Fleurais—D'Angeline ambassadress in Tiberium Ruggero Caccini—ruffian commander Priest of Asclepius Titus Maximus—princeps of Tiberium Oppius da Lippi—captain of the Aeolia Lucca Publius Tadius—father of Lucius Beatrice Tadia—mother of Lucius Gallus Tadius (deceased)— great-grandfather of Lucius Gaetano Correggio—Prince of Lucca Dacia Correggio—wife of Gaetano Helena Correggio—daughter of Gaetano and Dacia Bartolomeo Ponzi—enamored of Helena Domenico Martelli—Duke Of Valpetra Silvanus the Younger—commander of Valpetra's mercenary company Arturo—captain of the Luccan guard Orfeo, Pollio, Calvino, Matius, Adolpho, Baldessare, Constantin—soldiers in the Red Scourge Quentin LeClerc—captain of the D'Angeline embassy guard Rommuald—soldier in the D'Angeline embassy guard Marcus Cornelius—commander of the Tiberian contingent Others Maslin of Lombelon— unacknowledged son of Isnidore d'Aiglemort (deceased) Lelahiah Valais—Queen Ysandre's chirurgeon Emile—proprietor of the Cockerel Quintilius Rousse—Royal Admiral Favrielle no Eglantine—couturiere Bérèngere of Namarre—head of Naamah's Order Amarante of Namarre—daughter of Bérèngere Brother Selbert—chief priest in the Sanctuary of Elua (Siovale) Gilles Lamiz—Queen's Poet Roxanne de Mereliot—Lady of Marsilikos (Eisande) Gerard and Jeanne de Mereliot—children of Roxanne (Eisande) Historical Figures Baudoin de Trevalion (deceased)—cousin of Queen Ysandre; executed for treason Isidore d'Aiglemort (deceased)—noble; traitor turned hero (Camlach) Thelesis de Mornay (deceased)—Queen's Poet Waldemar Selig (deceased)—Skaldia warlord; invaded Terre d'Ange Fadil Chouma (deceased)—Menekhetan slaver The Mahrkagir (deceased)—mad ruler of Drujan; lord of Daršanga Drucilla (deceased)—Tiberian prisoner in Daršanga; chirurgeon Kaneka—Jebean prisoner in Daršanga Jagun (deceased)—chief of the Kereyit Tatars Ras Lijasu—Prince of Meroë in Jebe-Barkal Chapter Summaries References Kushiel-2-1